The Jefferson County Health Department is delighted to announce the hiring of Rochelle Hesford as our new Behavioral Health Coordinator. We expect her work to make a major impact, but it’s important to first explain the program Rochelle now leads and how it fits into our department’s broader, community-focused mission.
The JCHD vision – Healthy People. Healthy Practices. Healthy Places. – is all about creating an environment where our residents can thrive. As part of that, a foundational public health service is to assess and monitor the population’s health status.
Most local public health organizations conduct a regular community health assessment (CHA) and work with residents to write a community health improvement plan (CHIP) to address their most vital health challenges.
In recent years, many CHAs throughout Montana have identified behavioral health as a primary concern. Jefferson County is no exception. The CHAs we conducted in 2019 and 2024 identified mental and behavioral health as a priority area to work on for improving the overall wellbeing of our residents.
How do we build a better system of care for our friends and neighbors managing mental health challenges? Many local health departments have been working in behavioral health for years, often because the needs in our communities are so evident and so far-reaching. Too often, this work is done without reliable funding.
Montana’s Behavioral Health Systems for Future Generations (BHSFG) initiative was created as part of House Bill 872, passed during the 2023 state legislature. It provides a $300 million investment to transform community-based behavioral health and developmental disabilities services. The commission responsible for moving the initiative forward gathered extensive testimony from stakeholders, individuals with lived experience, and subject matter experts to shape recommendations for Near-Term Initiative grants (NTIs).
In April, the Jefferson County Health Department learned we had been approved for an NTI #11 grant, which awards rural counties or tribes up to $250,000 to focus on distinctive ways to address behavioral health needs specific to the local population. This funding aims to find gaps in Jefferson County’s behavioral health landscape and identify innovative ways to strengthen our capabilities through system change.
Jefferson County is working with the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division at the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Montana Public Health Institute and several counties and tribes to pilot this innovative approach to rural behavioral health solutions. It is our hope these pilots will become recommendations from the BHSFG to the Governor and legislature for long-term solutions for rural behavioral health challenges.
Implementing behavioral health systems change in rural communities requires a personalized approach that addresses unique local challenges such as workforce shortages, geographic barriers and the universal issue of stigma. Our initial focus has been to hire a “dedicated change leader” to steer this endeavor. And after a thorough search, last month we hired Rochelle Hesford to serve as Jefferson County’s Behavioral Health Coordinator and lead the movement to improve mental well-being.
Jefferson County has been Rochelle’s home for twenty-seven years. She and her husband, Mike, have raised two sons in this community. Rochelle, whose work with JCHD will remain part-time, said she finds it: “an honor to be a part of over 70% of local youth’s lives through the Afterschool Program and now Southwest Montana Youth Partners’ programming.”
“For the past few years, the youth I have been working with have brought up behavioral health as a major issue facing them. As the youth have researched and brought up solutions to educate and impact behavioral health, it has shown me that this issue needs to be addressed in a creative manner county-wide.
“Through the work I will be doing at Jefferson County Health Department, I will work on applying solutions to this issue. Since it is my personal mission to make the world around me better, this position as Behavioral Health Coordinator is a natural extension of what I am already doing. I am excited to be a part of the Jefferson County Health Department’s work on this in our community. I look forward to working toward making an impact on this issue and helping the people of Jefferson County.”
Rochelle was hired in time to participate in Jefferson County’s “State of Mind” event held Oct. 8-9. This two-day event provided a wealth of insights shared by local youth, educators, and leaders. Drawing from these voices will help us focus on local needs and visions as we prepare a strategic plan for grant funding.
Some of the innovations shared highlighted integrated healthcare (primary care and mental health care under one roof), peer support, intergenerational skills exchange, artistic expression promoting wellness, and sustainability.
While grant funding, often viewed as supplemental, gives us a place to start, we have been charged with integrating sustainability into our strategic plan. Partnering with trusted local leaders (i.e., faith leaders, law enforcement, school staff, elected officials) establishes a foundation for creating sustainable change.
Public education related to mental health and wellbeing reduces stigma, promotes awareness and provides skills for each of us to respond to one another’s needs appropriately. Adopting initiatives that are flexible and responsive to Jefferson County’s unique needs promise system improvement for our future generations.
Public health leaders continually advocate for preventative care, early intervention and long-term wellness. The goal of these innovations is simple but profound: to create a system that is proactive rather than reactive. When behavioral health conditions go untreated, the ripple effects are substantial. We see increased strain on emergency departments, elevated interaction with the criminal justice system and substantial losses in workforce efficiency.
We will be exploring these ideas further and listening to more stories of healing, recovery and hope. Each of us in Jefferson County has a role to play in creating a healthier community. Whether you are a parent, student, business owner, hard-working professional, or senior citizen, your unique perspective is valuable. I invite you to share your voice in creating a thriving community.
Together, we can build a healthier and more vibrant Jefferson County.